yarnover
A technique in which the yarn is passed over the right-hand needle. In general, the new loop is knitted on the next row, either by itself (producing a hole) or together with an adjacent stitch.
yarnover: deliberate loop that creates texture or openwork
A yarnover is a deliberate increase made by wrapping yarn around the needle without knitting into an existing stitch. The working yarn moves from its normal position (typically below the needle) and passes over the needle shaft to create a new loop. This loop remains on the needle and is worked in the next row, either independently (which leaves a hole) or together with an adjacent stitch (which adds fabric without creating an opening).
The mechanics differ depending on which stitch precedes the yarnover and what comes after. In stockinette knitting, a yarnover between two knit stitches simply requires bringing the yarn forward between the needles before the next knit stitch, which leaves the yarn in front and creates the characteristic hole. A purl stitch before or after changes the required hand position and yarn path. Multiple consecutive yarnovers are used in lacework to produce larger, regularly spaced eyelets.
Structural effect and textile properties
When yarnovers are paired with decreases (knitting two stitches together, or slipping and knitting through), the fabric remains the same width while gaining decorative texture. This combination forms the basis of lace knitting. An unpaired yarnover is technically an increase and advances the stitch count unless matched by a decrease elsewhere in the row. The holes produced range from pinpoint openings in fine gauge work to prominent eyelets in heavier weights.
Yarn fiber type affects yarnover visibility. High-twist, smooth yarns make holes crisp and defined. Loosely twisted or fuzzy yarns can obscure the opening, making a yarnover appear as a textured bump rather than a hole. This property allows the same technique to produce either lace or subtle color and texture variation depending on fiber choice.
The term reflects the literal motion: yarn passes over the needle. In industrial knitting machines, yarnovers are programmed as specific cam or electronic sequences that govern yarn tensioning and needle movement. Hand knitters execute the same result manually, and the technique has remained functionally unchanged for centuries despite advances in needle design and yarn production.